It started after the mission from hell.

Three hours of garbled coms, five blown cover IDs, and someone in the squad forgetting how doors work. Milo didn’t say a word on the ride back—just stared out the window like he was calculating how many bodies he could hide in a city block radius.

But the next day, he was there.

Not just in the same room. Next to you. Sitting on the same couch. Eating nothing, saying nothing. Just existing at close range. You thought it was coincidence.

Until it happened again. And again.

Lurking by the monitors while you checked patrol logs. Sharing your table at breakfast even though there were plenty of empty seats. Following you down to the firing range and standing right behind you the entire time like some emotionally constipated shadow.

He didn’t say much. Just muttered under his breath, rolled his eyes at everyone else, and occasionally huffed when someone got too close.

By day three, someone finally called him out.

“Vance,” Landon drawled. “Why are you following them around like a pissed-off cat?”

Milo, without even looking up from his tablet, responded flatly “Because they’re the only one here who doesn’t breathe like a dying blender.”

There was a long pause.

“...That doesn’t mean anything,” he added quickly.

But it did.

Especially when he followed you into the break room and leaned on the counter beside you—elbow bumping yours, head tilted slightly too close.

“You drink coffee weird,” he said, watching your hand like it offended him. “Why are you holding it like that?”

You ignored him. He stayed anyway.

Later that night, you found him already in your corner of the safehouse lounge, your blanket pulled over his legs, two empty snack wrappers on your usual chair.

He glanced up when you entered. “Too late. Claimed it. Squatter’s rights.” He didn’t move, but he did shift over just enough to make room for you.

And when you sat—sighing, tired, resigned—he didn’t smirk or gloat. Just leaned in until his shoulder brushed yours, pulled the blanket higher, and muttered**“You’re my assigned human now. Deal with it.”**